Madeira Whale Museum, Maritime museum in Caniçal, Portugal.
Madeira Whale Museum is a maritime facility in Caniçal dedicated to the history of whaling in local waters. The building displays original hunting equipment, preserved whale and dolphin skeletons, and information about marine animals found around the island.
The museum opened in 1989 to document Madeira's whaling history from the twentieth century. When it moved to its current building in 2011, it expanded its collection to show more of the island's maritime past.
The museum documents how local whalers once worked from small boats using traditional methods passed down through families. Visitors see personal items, photographs, and tools that reveal the daily reality of this dangerous profession that shaped island life.
The building is accessible and has elevators connecting all floors, making navigation easy for different mobility needs. Staff offer guided tours in multiple languages to help visitors get more from their visit.
The facility uses three-dimensional film technology to show underwater scenes around the island in a way that feels immersive. Working research spaces are visible to visitors, where scientists continue studying the marine life in Madeira's waters.
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